The following article by Dr. Jack Rasmus
(Telesur) summarizes the money behind the major candidates–including
Rubio, Cruz, Trump, Bush and Clinton and the estimated $10 billion that
will be spent on this year’s US national election.Poll after public opinion poll in the US today consistently show that
US voters overwhelmingly share the opinion that big money billionaires
and their corporations were increasingly dominating US elections.As the United States election cycle began to ramp up last summer, for
example, the New York Times/NBC News poll showed no less than 84
percent of U.S. voters – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike –
shared the common view that there was simply “too much money” flooding
into U.S. elections today. While 85 percent of those in the poll further
indicated that either major changes or a “complete rebuild” of the U.S.
election system was needed to take money out of politics.Forget minor tweaking reforms of campaign financing. The people of
the U.S. now believe the entire process is rigged in favor of rich
contributors and corporations who fill to over-flowing the campaign
coffers of their chosen politicians.War for the White House 2016A related major concern expressed by those polled was that those
billionaires writing the checks for candidates were “hiding behind the
curtain” as never before. The electoral system itself was becoming
increasingly opaque. Seventy-five percent of those polled thus demanded
full disclosure of just who was providing all the money.The current election cycle is just now getting underway with the
primary season and nominating of candidates, so total spending won’t be
known for at least mid-2017 at the earliest. But there are signs
appearing in numerous places that this election year will break all
records for money flowing from the billionaires, their banks, and their
corporations to their “hat in hand” candidates, as they regularly
stumble over themselves and trek one after the other attending private
meetings with the Koch Brothers, the Sheldon Adelsons, the Paul Singers,
Goldman Sachs and other bankers – and all the rest of the billionaire
class who write checks for tens of millions of dollars at a single
sitting – to fund whichever candidate bends his knee and bows his head
the most in committing to their favorite economic interest or pet
political cause. And bend and bow they do.Marco RubioFor example, there’s the Republican presidential candidate, Marco
Rubio, who led the attack on Argentina in the U.S. Congress to pressure
that country’s Kirchner government to concede to the blackmail by U.S.
vulture funds led by multi-billionaire, hedge fund magnate, Paul Singer.
A financial supporter of the expansion of Israeli settlements in the
west bank of Palestine, Singer is an ardent advocate that “Israel can do
no wrong.” As Singer’s boy in the U.S. Senate, Rubio consistently takes
a hard line on every Israel debate and vote, effectively representing
Singer’s views and interests. Not surprisingly, for that Rubio has been
repaid well. Singer is Rubio’s second biggest campaign contributor,
second only to Florida real estate billionaire, Norman Braman.
Multi-billionaires, both have already contributed more than US$11
million in 2015 to Rubio’s campaign. Software billionaire, Larry
Ellison, the world’s fifth richest person, worth $47 billion, has also
already contributed millions to Rubio. All three no doubt appreciate
Rubio’s pledge to eliminate all taxes on capital gains and dividends,
which would mean $1 trillion tax free to them and their billionaire
friends. Rubio’s election campaign committee and his “Conservative
Solutions” super PAC have accumulated more than $60 million in 2015.
Bush money is reportedly moving to Rubio recently as well.Ted CruzThen there’s candidate Cruz. His billionaires include ultra-right
wing, hedge fund owner Robert Mercer, who contributes to restoration of
the death penalty, advocates return to the gold standard, funds pro-life
and anti-gay causes, and collects machine-guns for a hobby; Toby
Neugebauer, the billionaire Houston investment banker; and Farris and
Staci Wilks, extreme bible-thumpers, who view the U.S. from a prism of
the biblical old testament, and whose family has made their billions by
fracking and poisoning land in the U.S. from Texas to Montana. All have
all written checks to the Cruz campaign for more than $10 million each
thus far, and contribute heavily to Cruz’s super PAC, “Keeping the
Promise,” and his campaign committee, together worth at latest estimate
more than $100 million. Cruz repeatedly pilgrimages to their respective
billionaire compounds and retreats, that is, when he’s not getting loans
from the big Investment bank, Goldman Sachs, where his wife worked as a
managing director, and from which Cruz has been given low interest
loans.Jeb BushJeb Bush got most of his money from his personal and family
investment sources, from his super PAC, “Right to Rise,” to which
wealthy friends have already contributed $118 million in “outside
money,” from his election committee with a pot of more than $40 million
more so far, from his 50+ per year public speeches for which he is paid
an average of $40,000 each, and unknown amounts from his
multi-billionaire Bush dynasty family. Another big billionaire
contributor, writing a $10 million check recently, was the notorious
Hank Greenberg, former Chairman of the American Insurance Group that the
government and U.S. taxpayer bailed out to the tune of $180 billion in
the 2008 crisis.Hillary ClintonHillary Clinton’s money comes from all the above sources and then
some. For example, there’s hedge fund billionaire, George Soros, who
contributed $8.5 million just last year. And the media billionaires,
Haim and Cheryl Saban, who have directly already contributed millions;
and reportedly may have contributed an estimated $10-$25 million more
indirectly from their own personal foundation to the Clinton’s
foundation: a favorite way the rich contribute to each other. Both
Hillary and Bill have also had multi-million dollar royalty book
contracts, Hillary’s latest worth $5 million. She is also the biggest
recipient of contributions from professional Lobbyists among all the
candidates. Her campaign committee has amassed $115 million as of
January 2016 and her super PAC, “Priorities USA,” more than $40 million.The Clintons, however, have especially farmed the speech circuit for
big money ever since Bill left office. That’s how former presidents and
other big-name, high visibility politicians who have performed well for
the rich are “paid off” in the U.S. when they leave office. Corruption
is “post-hoc” in the U.S. system, a more sophisticated arrangement than
crude graft or theft while in office practiced in other countries. Bill
Clinton has earned more than $100 million in speeches alone since 2001.
Hillary and Bill have earned another $25 million just since her
announcement to run. And then there are Hillary’s “closed door talks,”
off-the record, unrecorded, Q&A sessions of an hour or so, which
Hillary has held with scores of financial institutions, banks, and big
companies since announcing her candidacy.Her speeches and talks average $225,000 to $275,000, according to her
“schedule A” campaign finance statement that is public record. When
challenged by Sanders why she has been accepting fees of $275,000 from
scores of bankers and big corporations, including a recent 3 speech
$675,000 fee from Goldman Sachs, her reply was “I don’t know, that’s
just what they offered”. Yeah, out of the pure generosity of their
banker hearts, expecting nothing in return no doubt.The Clintons have given more than 50 speeches each in 2014 alone,
according to public records. Adding it up, it’s more than $25 million in
speeches and “talks” in 2014 alone. Their 2014 income was $28 million
and net worth $110 million. At least $28 million, and likely far more
will eventually be reported for 2015 later this summer. Even more for
2016.Trump and SandersTrump claims his net worth is more than $10 billion, and receives $3
million per show just as host of the TV show, “Celebrity Apprentice,”
providing ample cash for his campaign, that is, so far. His long list of
investments generate millions more in cash every year.Sanders relies on small donors, has no super PAC or outside money,
while his campaign committee reportedly has accumulated $95 million. He
owns no business and his net worth is reportedly $330,000.Estimating the TotalsA proxy of just how much money is involved this year is perhaps
estimated by how much in total was spent on the 2014 midterm
Congressional elections, where no presidential candidate was running. No
less than $3.77 billion was spent that year. And that was what was only
official reported to the Federal Election Commission for donors
contributing more than $200 – excluding as well all spending on state
and local government races and excluding what is called “dark” money
from nonprofit organizations – called 501( c) (4) shell groups-like Karl
Rove’s notorious “Crossroads GPS,” which has reportedly raised $330
million in recent years. Spending by 501s is directed at attacking a
candidate’s opponents instead of contributing to the favorite candidate
via PACs, super PACs, campaign committees, party committees, and the
like. But it is campaign spending on behalf of candidates, nonetheless.
Super-PACs and 501s are projected to spend more than a $US billion each
in the current year.Totals for 2015 from all the above sources – i.e. corporate and
special interest PACs, super PACs, leadership PACs, the 30,000
Washington, D.C. lobbyists, the 501s and their “Limited Liability
Company” middlemen who raise money from the super-wealthy but can
legally keep their names unreported, from House and Senate and political
party fund raising committees, and so on – were likely more than $5
billion, at minimum. But public records for 2015 totals won’t be
released by the government until June 30, 2016For the entire 2015-2016 election, the cumulative totals will no
doubt range from $10 to $15 billion. But the actual totals will have to
wait even longer, until June 30, 2017. But even then will reflect only
what is officially reported, as more “dark money” flows into elections
in increasingly opaque system that grows progressively “darker” as the
mountains of election money provided by billionaires, corporations, and
bankers grow ever higher.Dr. Jack Rasmus is author of the recently
published book about today’s unstable global economy, “Systemic
Fragility in the Global Economy,” by Clarity Press, January 2016. For
more on this book, click on the book icon on the front page. For free
chapters, go to the author website:https://kyklosproductions.com/homewar.html